Your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. (2 Thess. 1:3)
A FEW YEARS AGO, I helped an older woman by bringing her soup. When I returned home, I felt like God was asking me, “Why did you do that?”
“It is the Christian thing to do,” I thought.
Again, God impressed on me, “But do you love her?”
I realized that everything we do has to be prompted by love. We learn that we should increase in faith and good works—but love? Yes, if nothing else, love. No good work can be good without it. This is how we ensure being worthy of God’s calling, which is mentioned twice in this passage. The second time it is mentioned, Paul said we will be worthy of God’s calling if we persevere during suffering.
The Bible often talks about adding more things to our faith: knowledge, self-control, and virtue. We are supposed to make an effort to have these things. There is an encouraging message that follows. The apostle prayed for us that every good purpose and every act prompted by faith may be fulfilled. This means we should also pray for one another to have dreams fulfilled that are prompted by faith and good purpose.
We can receive what we pray for if it is according to the will of God, and we pray with faith. Increasing in love, faith, and long-suffering, with God’s merciful justice, ensures us of being counted worthy of His calling.
Make an effort every day to have more faith, love, and perseverance.
Deanna Altman is the mother of four sons, and lives in Watkinsville, Georgia. She writes Christian fiction and children’s books.
